Not Forgotten, Not Forgiven
by loobyloola
Summary: Hermione and Severus both attend a Potions Conference, but neither knows the other is there. After years apart can they ever be truly happy again? WARNING: mention of attempted suicide. COMPLETE WITH EPILOGUE! MF,Original,AU,OC


Disclaimer: Only the plot and original characters are mine, the rest belongs to J.K.Rowling.

Author's Note: This story is just to give me a bit of a break from my WIP, 'Unleashed – Book 1'. I have used the Page 394 Challenge but haven't adhered to the rules of this challenge completely, but the story is based around five quotations from other books cited below. The original idea for the character of Julia also sprang from one of these quotations. Enjoy and please review!

_To Professor Severus Snape_

_Potions Master_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry._

_Dear Professor Snape,_

_On behalf of the 'Potions Collaboration Company', I would like to invite you to the 176th Annual Potions Conference. The dates for the conference are the 9th to the 12th of May, and it will be held at the Tamworth Hotel, Central London. As a most esteemed Potions Master, you are of course welcome to bring your assistant or apprentice with, or to represent you. We do hope you will be able to join us and look forward to seeing you. _

_Yours sincerely,_

_Gremauld Wibbletown_

_And everyone of the PCC_

To Miss Hermione Granger

_Flat 2_

_14, Northumberland Avenue_

_Chelsea_

_London_

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_On behalf of the 'Potions Collaboration Company', I would like to invite you to the 176th Annual Potions Conference. The dates for the conference are the 9th to the 12th of May, and it will be held at the Tamworth Hotel, Central London. . We do hope you will be able to join us and look forward to seeing you. _

_Yours sincerely,_

_Gremauld Wibbletown_

_And everyone of the PCC_

"A positive mind entering a circle or séance for the investigation of spiritualism is like introducing a ray of light into the dark compartment of the photographer when not wanted; or like taking up a seed from under the ground to see if it be growing; or like any other violent intervention in the process of nature…"

The young woman yawned, looking around herself in boredom. Her gaze fell on the man sat next to her, his eyes firmly locked upon the man on the podium at the front of the large conference room. As if feeling her eyes upon him, he glanced down at her, irritation written all over his face.

In return, the woman gave him what she thought to be her most devastating smile, but the man only frowned again and leant towards her until he could whisper in her ear.

"Problem, Julia?" he murmured, and she shivered as his breath brushed her across the sensitive skin of her neck. She placed her hand on his thigh and squeezed slightly as he sat back up straight.

"No, Severus," she whispered dutifully, before a man in the row behind them coughed pointedly. As she withdrew her hand, she allowed it to trail up his leg before moving it back into her own lap.

A shadow passed over his face and he looked down at Julia again. She simply smiled back up at him and went back to pretending to listen to the elderly man drone on.

The two of them were at the annual Potions conference in London and were currently attending a lecture on magic and spiritualism, much to Julia's consternation. She was only here because she was Severus' Potions assistant, and she was only Severus' Potions assistant because she had needed a job after leaving university, and she had noticed his name on the 'Most Eligible Wizard List' in 'Witch Weekly'. And so she had applied for an apprenticeship with him, despite the rumours that he was a Death Eater, a nightmare teacher, the most antisocial person ever, and basically, a bastard. She had been home-schooled by her parents, who were both magical, so she had never experienced Severus' teaching skills at Hogwarts.

Julia licked her lips and glanced up at Severus once again in anticipation. She had decided that she would seduce Severus Snape – and tonight was the night she would snare him. She smiled a small, self-satisfied smile.

_Just you wait, Severus Snape,_ she thought. _I'll be riding you like a pony before the night's out._

Hermione glanced around distractedly, trying to see past the hoards of people standing in the lobby of the hotel where the Potions conference was being held, but she was simply too short to see over the heads of the many wizards milling around.

"Hermione! I've found our lecture room!"

At the sound of her name being called, Hermione turned, just as her companion and friend, Laura, walked up to meet her.

"Come on, this way. Magic and Spiritualism, right?"

Hermione nodded mutely and followed her friend to join the queue of people waiting to enter a room with the label, 'Magic and Spiritualism – How does spiritualism play a part in modern day magic? By Bernard Phillipe.'

The two women chatted companionably as they waited to be let in – although they had met through their jobs at the Ministry of Magic, it was now the demands of their jobs which prevented them from seeing each other as often as they would have liked. Hermione was working at the Ministry as a Junior Lab Assistant in the Potions Development sector, but it had hardly turned out to be her dream job – she was constantly being patronised and belittled by her fellow colleagues.

Laura, on the other hand, was currently studying the History of Magic and working as an assistant in that department of the Ministry. They had decided to attend the Potions conference together as it was relevant to both their fields, and they had been pleased to learn that, whilst the lectures were mostly strictly Potions based, there were some (like this one), which they could just enjoy rather than taking notes all the time.

They were nearing the front of the queue when someone pushed into Hermione. She turned to see what had happened, and immediately stopped, a gasp on her lips. The tall, dark-haired wizard who had bumped into her turned a moment later.

"Sorry, miss," he said distractedly and hurried off again. Hermione turned back to Laura, her breathing slowing to a normal pace again.

"Hermione? Is everything all right?" Laura asked, concerned by Hermione's white face.

"Yes…yes, fine. I just thought it was someone I used to know. That's all."

"Well, wasn't that interesting," Julia said brightly, grinning up at Severus, who only glowered at her. She grabbed his arm and threaded her own through it as they left that conference room and went into the lobby of the hotel where tea and biscuits were being served. Too tired to complain, Severus allowed himself to be led across the room to where other witches and wizards were stood drinking and eating.

Just as they reached the area, there came a crackle from overhead and after a moment's pause, a metallic-sounding voice began speaking cordially. Silence fell over the room

"Ladies and Gentlemen. Ladies and Gentlemen. We would like to inform you that we will be holding an informal soiree this evening for all our conference guests. The evening will begin at 7.30pm in the ballroom and will include dinner, live entertainment and dancing. We look forward to seeing you this evening, and we hope you enjoy the rest of your stay. Thank you."

"Oh! How fabulous! We must go!" Julia cried, practically dropping her cup of tea in excitement, as the other witches around the room started gabbling excitedly. What a perfect opportunity to catch Severus!

Severus closed his eyes briefly as Julia squealed at him before smiling hopefully up at him. He thrust his own cup of tea at her.

"Excuse me," he said curtly. "I need to use the facilities."

And with that he strode away across the room, his black robes flicking about his long legs.

On the other side of the room, Laura was trying to persuade Hermione to attend the event that evening, but to little avail.

"Come on, Hermione, it'll be great. A girl's night out. Merlin knows we both need it."

"I know, but I thought we were going to stay in tonight and catch up properly."

"Oh, please, Hermione," Laura pleaded, "I really like the look of that guy over there," she smiled, pointing across the room at a wizard in his mid twenties with sandy brown hair wearing grey robes. "I'm gonna go say hi. Do you mind?" She asked, but hurried off without waiting for an answer.

But Hermione wasn't looking at where Laura was pointing or listening to what she was saying. As she had turned to look at the guy Laura liked, a figure walking towards her had caught her attention. Hermione's breath caught in her throat as she gazed in shock at the man headed in her direction, his black hair flowing freely about his shoulders, a scowl on his face and his dark robes swishing about his body.

_It's him. It's him. Oh God, what do I do? Quick, turn around before he sees you!_

Hermione regained control of her breathing and began to turn her body away from the ever-approaching man, her eyes still fixed upon his form. Just as she did so, however, he looked away from where he had been looking, and his eyes scanned the room, coming to rest on her. He stopped abruptly a few feet away from Hermione, shock written all over his face.

"Hermione!" The man choked, his surprise showing in his face.

"Severus," she replied softly, looking away from his penetrating gaze.

_Don't look at him. Don't look at him. Just don't. you know what'll happen if you do._

They stood in awkward silence, Hermione staring determinedly at the floor, whilst Severus couldn't keep his eyes off her face. In an uncharacteristic move, Severus thrust his hands into the pockets of his robes and stood awkwardly, looking at Hermione – in the three years since he had last seen her, she hadn't changed at all.

In turn, she seemed to be staring at his boots. He opened his mouth to ask her how she was when they were suddenly interrupted.

"Severus! Severus! There you are!"

Severus closed his eyes briefly at the sound of Julia's piercing voice. When he opened them again she was stood in front of him, smiling somewhat manically.

"At last I've found you," she exclaimed as if he had been gone for hours rather than minutes. "Thought you'd fallen in!"

And with that she laughed hysterically at her own vulgar joke. Hermione was looking at her in complete amazement.

"Severus? Who's this?" Julia asked rudely, grabbing him, threading her arm through his and looking up at him expectantly.

"This is Hermione Granger, an…acquaintance of mine. Hermione, this is –"

"Julia. It's so nice to meet you," she interrupted, her simpering voice sickly sweet. Severus cleared his throat awkwardly and one of his hands went to his neck to pull at his collar.

"We really should be going, Julia," Severus said, disentangling his arm from hers.

"Oh, all right, Severus," she agreed readily, not showing a hint of remorse. "Will we see you at the party tonight?" She addressed Hermione.

"You're going?" Hermione asked Severus abruptly, looking at him directly for the first time during the conversation.

"I-"

"Yes, we'll both be there," Julia broke in before Severus could answer. She knew he wouldn't have answered in the affirmative, so she answered before he could. Tonight was the night and she was determined to seduce Severus Snape and the party was the ideal opportunity.

As they moved away, Julia turned and gave a small wave of her fingers before catching up with Severus and grabbing his arm again. Hermione watched despondently as Severus shrugged her off him and stormed off out of the lobby, Julia close at his heels.

"Who was that?"

Laura had returned from flirting with the brown-haired wizard, who turned out to be called Darren.

"Oh," Hermione replied, trying to keep her voice light. "Just one of my old Professors. We corresponding for a while after I graduated. It was all Potions based," Hermione lied, but Laura seemed convinced. They had corresponded for a while after her Hogwarts graduation, but after a while it had become a lot more than Potions based.

"Fair enough." Laura shrugged. "Come on, our next lecture starts in five minutes."

By the end of the first long day of the conference, filled with lectures, Severus was tired and utterly sick of Julia's presence. He managed to shake her off for a while and escape to his room, having promised her he would attend the party that evening. He didn't want to – he despised such events, but at the moment he would do anything for an easy life. The fight had completely gone out of him. Having survived two decades of being a Death Eater, all he wanted to do was let it all end.

What did he have left anymore? Anything decent he had, he had chased away.

Hermione. He fell back on his bed as he thought of her. Seeing her today had hit him like a bullet, but he knew he had to speak to her. He knew the party wasn't her sort of thing, but maybe the woman he had seen chatting to her later in the day would persuade her to attend. At least that way he might get a chance to talk to her. Groaning as he noticed the time, Severus heaved himself up and headed to the bathroom for a shower.

Alone in her room, Hermione couldn't keep her mind off Severus. All her feelings and wishes that she had hidden away for so long came rushing back, overwhelming her. The familiar way he tugged at his collar when nervous or embarrassed and the thrust of his hands into his deep pockets had pulled at her heart. Hermione flopped back onto her pillows and closed her eyes, remembering a time when she had been truly happy and satisfied…

_The two figured sat together near the edge of the lake, the sun glinting over the Hogwarts grounds, which were deserted of the usual chattering students as it was the Summer Holidays. The woman turned after a moment and crawled into her lover's lap. He accepted her willingly, wrapping his arms around her and tucking her head tenderly into the crook of his neck._

_"I love you, Severus," she murmured, pressing a kiss against the soft skin of his neck. Her fingers played idly with one of his shirt buttons. He planted a kiss on the top of her head._

_"I love you, Hermione," he replied softly, pulling her closer and resting his chin against her temple. They sat in companionable silence for a while, until Hermione shifted to look ay him._

_"Severus?"_

_"Hmm?"_

_He brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face and kissed her cheek._

_"Let's go swimming," Hermione requested with a smile, already unfastening his shirt buttons, knowing he wouldn't refuse her anything. _

_Severus rolled his eyes, but allowed her to undress him down to his boxers, before she transfigured her casual clothes and robe into a bikini. Laughing, she dragged him down to the water's edge and dipped her toes in to test the warmth before pulling him in with her. Once they were both submerged, Hermione splashed Severus before swimming away to escape him._

_They continued in this vain for a while. Severus could have easily caught Hermione, being a stronger and faster swimmer than her, but he let her escape him until he finally grabbed her and kissed her soundly. She forgot the game immediately and melted into his arms, wrapping her own around his neck as he lifted her up._

_"I love you, Severus," she whispered again, leaning her head against his shoulder._

_"And I you," he replied with a faint smile, before kissing her deeply once again…_

Hermione shook herself from her memory.

_No,_ she told herself._ Now is not the time to dwell on old memories. Anything that was there is dead now. He made sure of that._

After three years of trying to forget what had happened between them, Hermione finally allowed herself to think about it. Following her graduation from Hogwarts, Hermione had owled Severus (Professor Snape then, of course) to thank him for everything. He had sent back some sardonic reply, but when she owled him again with a Potions query, he had been surprisingly forthcoming with his help.

After almost a year of on-off correspondence, Hermione had finally had the courage to suggest they meet for lunch. He had agreed, and they had met in Diagon Alley on the first day of their summer holiday. It had been awkward at first, but they had soon engrossed themselves in a conversation about Potions.

Just before they parted that day, Severus had asked Hermione if she would care to join him at Hogwarts over the summer to help him with his Potions research. She had of course agreed and eventually, by the end of the summer they had formed a sexual relationship.

When they both had to return to work, they met every weekend they could; either Severus coming to London to see her or she making a quick trip to Hogwarts. He asked her to stay with him again the summer after her second year at university. Hermione sighed as she remembered how blissfully happy they had both been. Near to the start of the summer, Severus had first declared his love for her and she had of course returned the sentiment. That day by the lake had been one of many like it.

But then, about halfway through her third and final year at university, things changed. Severus became suddenly distant. Not just from her, but everything – he seemed to become completely disenchanted with life, and their formerly happy weekends turned sour.

He would simply sit there as Hermione chatted to him, trying to get some response out of him. He never initiated lovemaking, and when she tried to, he would always tell her that he was too tired, too stressed or had a bad headache. He began to flinch and move away when she touched or kissed him.

Within a month he had delivered the final devastating blow – he had told her that things would never work out between them and it was stupid to go on pretending. Hermione had begged and pleaded with him, but he had just sat there, stony faced. Eventually she had fled his chambers, to go and cry alone in her rented university accommodation. They had never spoken since.

Until today.

Hermione closed her eyes tightly, wishing her emotions away. She knew she still loved him; had never stopped loving him. A solitary tear trickled down her cheek at the memory of his smile, his kisses, the way he looked in his sleep. She brushed the tear and the memory away angrily. She had lived without him for three years, and she wasn't going to fall apart now. She wasn't.

"Severus! Severus, come on!" Julia called impatiently, eager to get down to the party. She knocked on his door again, and momentarily it was flung open by the man himself, who was wearing his usual dark robes and his usual dark scowl.

"There you are!" She greeted him brightly, confident that the sulking man would be hers before the night was out. Severus just grunted at her, not bothering to reply properly and set off down the corridor.

By the time they joined the crowds entering the ballroom, Julia had latched herself onto Severus' arm again and was simpering away in a most infuriating manner.

"Names, please," the uniformed man at the door requested in a polite monotone. He was holding a pen and clipboard and Severus wondered suspiciously what this was for.

"Professor Severus Snape and Julia Roberts," he replied tetchily.

"Autographs later please," Julia said with a girlish giggle, alluding to the fact that she shared her name with a popular muggle actress. Her smile faded a little when the people around them didn't laugh at her joke, but rather looked at her in confusion, before turning away. Severus allowed a small smirk to creep onto his face.

"Right Professor, Miss Roberts," the man began, "the organisers have arranged the seating plan tonight to enable you to get to know your fellow guests a little better. Miss Roberts, you will be on table 3 between Miss Geraldine Strump and Mr Gremauld Wibbletown, who happens to be this year's conference organiser. Professor Snape, you will be on table 12 between Mr Clark Toyn and Miss Hermione Granger."

Julia's face fell as she realised that she and Severus were being separated.

_Don't panic,_ she told herself as they moved into the ballroom._ There'll be plenty of time after the meal to seduce him. Just handle this with grace and dignity._

"Well, it looks like I'll be seeing you later, Severus," she said, tapping him on the chest with one long, painted fingernail before turning to walk off, wiggling her fingers in his direction and throwing a coy look over her shoulder at him. It was all she could do to stop herself from pinching his delicious bottom.

Severus stood for a minute, relishing the silence now that he had finally escaped Julia for the evening. Slowly, he began walking over to table 12, where one figure was already sat alone. Hermione.

"Good evening, Miss Granger."

As she heard his voice, Hermione turned in her seat and looked up at him coolly.

"I think we're a little bit past the formalities, don't you?"

Severus hid a slight smile at her words and sat down on Hermione's left at the circular table.

"Yes, Hermione," he replied softly, looking into her familiar face. As she had done earlier, after first greeting him, Hermione refused to look at him. Tonight she seemed fascinated by his hands rather than his boots. They sat together in awkward silence as the other guests milled around them. Severus cleared his throat.

"Hermione, I think we need to talk," he said carefully. She looked up sharply at his words.

"About what?" she asked, keeping her temper admirably as she fiddled with her napkin.

"About us," he started, but she cut him off.

"There is no 'us', Severus," she hissed, conscious of the people nearby. "You made that perfectly clear. It's in the past."

By this time, her fingers were moving erratically over the napkin, and the movement annoyed Severus immeasurably. He reached over to stop her, but as soon as his skin touched hers, she pulled away from him violently.

"Don't touch me!"

Severus withdrew his hand and they sat in silence once again, until the chime for dinner rang, and the other guests began moving to their tables.

"Well, howdy!"

A man greeted Hermione and Severus with a friendly grin. He was Clark Toyn, an American, and he chattered non-stop to Severus for a while. But at Severus' distinct lack of response, he soon turned away and started talking in a loud voice to the woman on his other side.

Severus and Hermione both sat in near silence; he never talking; she chatting occasionally to the woman on her right. Throughout the meal, they were civilly distant with each other, never touching, careful not to impinge on each other's space. Severus desperately wanted to reach out and touch her, kiss her, but after her fierce words earlier, he knew he must have ruined any chance he might have had with her long ago.

Merlin, if only he could just explain to her why he did what he did. Every time he glanced at her he felt a pang of longing in his chest. He loved her so much.

Following desert, the tables were vacated and cleared away, and Severus cordially said 'Goodnight' to Hermione and made his way over to the bar. If Hermione wasn't going to talk to him, at least he could get safely pissed for one night, knowing there would be no disaster at Hogwarts that would require his sober presence.

Hermione watched Severus walk away to the bar, where he slumped dejectedly onto a barstool and proceeded to order a drink of something that looked like whisky. Before Hermione was able to get too concerned over Severus' drinking, Laura appeared and flopped down into his vacated chair.

"Hi!" she exclaimed somewhat breathlessly. "How was your dinner? How lucky was it that I got sat next to Darren!" After the man at the door had told Hermione that she would be sitting with Severus, he had told Laura she was sat next to Darren, the brown-haired wizard from the lobby.

"So is he nice?" Hermione asked her friend.

"Lovely," she replied, turning slightly to wave at him as he stood at the bar, holding two glasses of red wine. He nodded at the two women, looking slightly embarrassed as he realised he was being talked about.

"Hey, Hermione, isn't that the guy you were talking to earlier?" She pointed at a tall, dark-haired man who was slouching against a wall, and slugging back his drink.

"Yes, it is," Hermione replied, frowning as she wondered how many drinks Severus had already managed to consume.

"Listen, Hermione, do you mind if I…" Laura trailed off, glancing over at Darren again. Hermione got the point immediately, remembering how she and Severus had been desperate to be together at every opportunity at the start of their relationship.

"Go ahead. I'll catch up with you later."

"Thank you so much," Laura said, grinning and kissing Hermione on the cheek before hurrying off to join Darren at the bar. He gave her her drink and they moved away into the darkness of the lobby. Hermione sighed. Alone again.

As the waiters came round to clear the tables and move them out of the way for the dancing, Hermione got up and headed over to the bar to order a drink.

"White wine, please," she ordered, climbing onto a barstool.

"Starting early, aren't you?" the man beside her asked. Hermione recognised Severus' voice immediately and turned to him.

"Not as early as you, Severus," she replied and he raised his glass to her in a mock salute. Moments later, however, he swore under his breath.

"Shit! Quick, come dance with me!"

He grabbed her hand and tugged her onto the dance floor before pulling her into a slow waltz.

"Severus, what the hell have you been drinking?" Hermione asked, but didn't pull away from him. Instead, she fell easily into the steps of the dance, her head reeling from his proximity to he. They danced without speaking for a while, Hermione lost in the memory of how they had danced together like this at her university balls. It had taken much persuasion to get him to go with her to the events, but it had been well worth it. When the waltz finished, Severus quickly guided her into the tango.

As they danced, Severus looked over Hermione's shoulder now and again to where Julia stood, seething. When he and Hermione had been sat at the bar, he had noticed her headed towards them, a purposeful expression on her face and so, in a rare moment of sheer panic, he had dragged Hermione onto the dance floor to escape Julia. Now, she seemed to be heading over to them and Severus desperately tried to move them further away, but the volume of couples on the dance floor wouldn't allow them to move very far. Hermione looked at him strangely at the pained expression on his face. Mere moments later, Julia arrived and promptly tapped Hermione on the shoulder.

"May I cut in?" she asked sweetly. Hermione looked unsurely at Severus, but began loosening her grip on him.

"No," Severus replied curtly and, holding Hermione firmly to him, managed to move them away from Julia, leaving her standing in the middle of the dance floor, a sour expression on her face.

"Severus?" Hermione asked gently, her eyebrows raised in enquiry.

"She's my apprentice," Severus sighed, the words easily spilling from his mouth in Hermione familiar, soothing presence. "A complete dunderhead. I never should have hired her, but Dumbledore thought it wise. Now I can never get rid of her."

Hermione squeezed his shoulder in sympathy and as the tango ended they moved easily back into a waltz. They remained silent for a while, unconsciously moving ever closer to each other.

"Dumbledore told me, you know," Hermione said quietly after a while. Severus stiffened automatically at her words, but forced himself to relax.

"Told you what?"

"That you slit your wrists," she replied, not meeting his eyes. Her voice went very quiet. "I nearly came to you that night, you know. I was petrified. I thought you were going to die, I thought…"

Severus stayed very still as she broke off, sounding close to tears. They had stopped dancing and were stood among a sea of swaying bodies, and receiving some very funny looks. At her confession, Severus felt a flutter in his heart.

_Maybe there's still a chance, maybe…_

"Hermione, I need to talk to you," Severus said and grabbed her hand before she could argue. He led her into the lobby (where a couple were getting amorous in a dark corner) and out into the hotel's gardens, the woman's giggles chasing them. He found them a secluded spot and sat Hermione down on a small stone bench. He began pacing up and down before her, his hands clasped behind his back and his eyebrows furrowed. After a few minutes of this, Hermione spoke, in a calmer voice than before.

"You wanted to talk to me, Severus?"

"Yes," he replied eventually, turning to her and noticing that she was shivering slightly in the cool evening breeze. He shrugged off his robes and draped them gently around her shoulders, leaving him in his trousers and shirt. Hermione couldn't stop a blush creeping onto her cheeks at this kind gesture and the soft, familiar touch of his hands. Severus sat awkwardly down beside her, and loosened the top few buttons of his shirt.

"So…" Hermione trailed off, looking at him expectantly.

"Hermione," he started hesitantly, unsure of how to tell her - even of what he wanted to say. He looked at her, and for the first time in two years she returned his gaze properly. Brown eyes met black and Severus reached out to take her hand, which she sacrificed immediately.

Suddenly, nothing was hard anymore; it was easy, it was natural. And with her hand clasped in his, the words he had only ever said to her fell from his lips.

"I love you."

Severus was almost knocked backwards as Hermione fell upon him, her arms wrapping around his neck tightly and her head falling onto his shoulder.

"I love you," she murmured back, breathing in his scent. "But I don't know if I can forgive you," she said, pulling back from him, her hand remaining on his cheek. "Why did you do it?"

Severus lowered his eyes in shame. He had never forgiven himself for what he had done to her.

"I thought I was protecting you. From –" he gulped, "Voldemort."

It was only now Voldemort was gone tat Severus was able to say his name.

"I realise now that I was being foolish. But I never could have forgiven myself if something had happened to you because of me –"

But he was interrupted as Hermione flung herself at him again, silencing him with her lips. They kissed slowly and gently, re-learning each other. Severus stood, pulling Hermione up with him and holding her tightly to his body. His hands were everywhere: in her hair, stroking her back, clasping her bottom, sneaking round to caress her breasts, her stomach. This was his woman, and he was never going to lose her again.

"Marry me," he gasped, breathless, breaking the kiss and staring into her eyes. Hermione looked back at him, shook written all over her face.

"What?" She gaped. "I can't just marry you!"

"Fine. Marry me in the future. Never marry me. Just be with me Hermione, please," he said, too desperate to take her words as an insult.

"I – I want you, Severus," she stuttered and pulled him back to her for another kiss with a tug on the ends of his long hair.

"Do you trust me?" he asked moments later. She nodded. "Come with me."

They walked quickly back through the gardens of the hotel, stopping here and there for a kiss, Hermione's hands eventually finding their way into Severus' trousers. As they stumbled into the still darkened lobby, kissing, they broke apart as they heard a familiar voice.

"Ooh, Mr Wibbletown, you naughty boy!"

"Julia?" Severus said disbelievingly, as Hermione flicked on the lights to reveal Julia and her dinner partner stood in the corner, Mr Wibbletown's pants down around his ankles, his hands trying to cover his privates.

"Severus?" Julia wailed, pulling away from her companion and plastering a sickly smile on her face. Just as she did so, Hermione walked back over to Severus, and he greeted her by kissing her on the cheek, murmuring in her ear and wrapping an arm around her waist.

Julia's expression changed instantaneously.

"What?" she spat, startling the couple, who looked sickeningly happy to be reunited. "No way. Now ay," she continued, marching up to Hermione, who looked at her in shock as spittle flew from Julia's mouth. "No way am I going to let you," she jabbed Hermione accusingly," steal my man. Not when I was so close to having him!"

And with that she stamped her foot and glared at Hermione as if challenging her to argue back.

"Actually, Julia, I was never yours to be had," Severus growled, pulling Hermione, his arm tight around her. "And by the way, you are, as of now, fired as my apprentice. I suggest you would be more suited to work in a muggle beauty salon."

Hermione smirked, knowing this was a huge insult from Severus. Somehow she felt Julia would take it as a compliment though. Or maybe not.

"I'll get you for this, you watch!" Julia screamed, but tears were welling up in her eyes. She had failed. How had Severus resisted her? As Julia fumed, Mr Wibbletown sidled up beside her.

"Ah…care to continue where we left off, my dear?" He chuckled, a sleazy grin plastered on his face.

"Oh, sod off you old fool. I never wanted you in the first place."

And with that, Julia stormed out of the room, leaving Mr Wibbletown extremely unsatisfied and with his trousers still dangling around his bony ankles.

Once out in the corridor, Hermione burst into laughter, leaning against Severus, who looked at her with a vaguely amused look on his face.

"Something amusing, my dear?" he asked, grabbing her around the waist again. She giggled once more before looking up at him, love shining in her eyes. He bent down and dipped a soft kiss against her lips.

"Come on," he whispered, grabbing her hand, intent on taking her to bed and showing her just how much he had missed her. They walked up the grand staircase to Severus' room, still stopping now and again for a quick kiss and cuddle.

Hours later they lay naked in bed together, their legs wrapped tightly around each other. Severus sighed in contentment before murmuring in Hermione's ear,

"Hmm, I love you. That was excellent, my darling."

And she, with quivering hands pressed his head against her, as he lay suffused out and she lay fully conscious. As he began to snore softly, Hermione rolled him over onto his side as he had collapsed straight on top of her after his third orgasm of the night. She smiled affectionately at him and tucked a stray lock of hair behind his ear as he slept. She loved this man and she was never going to let him go again. He simply meant too much to her.

_Four years later…_

"Severus get your arse in here right now!"

Severus rolled his eyes but hurried to obey his wife. Since she had been pregnant with their first child she had been extremely demanding, and Severus had found over the last few months that the simplest thing to do was to pander to her. Severus smirked to himself. It could also be the most enjoyable thing to do, not least when she demanded he satisfy her enhanced arousal.

When he arrived in their bedroom from the living room where he had been marking fifth year essays, he fund his wife on her hands and knees on the bed, panting and completely naked. She looked over her shoulder as she heard him come in. Her face was flushed and strands of her long brown hair were sticking to her sweaty forehead.

"Where have you been?" she screeched, but before Severus could reply with a sarcastic comment, she groaned low in pain.

"Severus," she whimpered and he rushed forward and grabbed her hand, helping her to manoeuvre her heavily pregnant body so she could slump tiredly on him, half resting in his lap.

"I think the baby's coming," she whispered and excitement clutched at Severus chest. In just a few short hours he would be holding his son or daughter…

Nearly twelve hours later Hermione was still in immensely painful labour. Severus had flooed Madame Pompfrey after Hermione's labour had started and after her arrival, there had been an almost continual flow of people into their chambers to eagerly await the birth of Severus and Hermione's first child.

Hermione was currently sprawled between Severus' legs, wearing his shirt that she had practically ripped off his body, leaving him bare-chested as he sat back against the headboard with Hermione leant against him.

He was stroking her swollen belly in a smooth, soothing motion whilst his other hand held a cool cloth against her hot forehead. He winced as she grasped his thigh tightly as a particularly painful contraction hit.

_Just a few more hours,_ he thought tiredly.

At seven am the next morning, Sabilina Snape was born after Hermione was in labour for sixteen hours. After Hermione and her daughter had been cleaned up (and Severus allowed to find himself another shirt), the visitors who had been waiting in the sitting room progressed slowly through to the bedroom to congratulate the new parents, bestow gifts and meet the new addition to the Snape family.

When all the visitors had left, Hermione took their daughter in her arms and collapsed against her husband in exhaustion. He kissed her on the forehead and then leant down and kissed his daughter's tiny snub nose.

"I love you," he murmured to Hermione and she buried her face in the side of his neck, pressing a kiss there.

"I love you too, Severus," she whispered back.

"And I love our gorgeous daughter," Severus said, lifting Sabilina out of her mother's tired arms and propping her against his chest as she gurgled sleepily. Her huge blue eyes drifted slowly closed and before long she was snoozing on her father's chest.

Hermione smiled happily as her own eyes drifted closed. She had everything she had ever wanted.

Author's Note: Here is a list of the books I used for my five quotations:

'A positive mind entering a circle or séance for the investigation of spiritualism is like introducing a ray of light into the dark compartment of the photographer when not wanted; or like taking up a seed from under the ground to see if it be growing; or like any other violent intervention in the process of nature' – Possession by A.S.Byatt

'A shadow passed over his face and he looked down at Julia again.' – Wideacre by Philippa Gregory

'They were civilly distant with each other, never touching, careful not to impinge on each other's space.' – Adultery for Beginners by Sarah Duncan

'She pointed at a tall, dark-haired man who was slouching against a wall, and slugging back his drink.' – Some kind of Wonderful by Sarah Webb

'And she, with quivering hands pressed his head against her, as he lay suffused out and she lay fully conscious.' – Women in Love by D.H.Lawrence

I hope you enjoyed it and please review!


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